Page 5 of Wilderness Daddy

“I plan on making your life hell,” she says in a severe whisper. In the moonlight I can see her narrowed eyes and downward curved mouth.

“What is your problem, little girl?” I get to my feet, my hands finding my hips.

“You! Obviously.” She rises from the boat so quickly it teeters. I reach out to steady her and she bats my arm away. The boat sways harder. “And I’m not a little girl!” This time I try to steady the boat with my foot. As much as she could use some cooling off, I don’t want her in the lake. I wasn’t kidding about the hypothermia.

“If you’re done with your tantrum, I can help you out of the boat. Walk you back to your cabin.” I put my foot back on the dock and hold out my hand. She looks at it as if it’s filthy. Gathering a breath, I remind myself she’s hurt and angry, and even though I don’t know why, she obviously doesn’t know how to deal with it.

“Look, I think you need to see I’m not the enemy here. I didn’t concoct this idea and I’m just as pissed off about it as you are. I’d really like to help you out now before you fall into the lake.”

“Please,” she sneers. “What do you have to be pissed about?” She pulls a pack of cigarettes out of the bodice of her dress. “Takahashi Sports is bailing you out. We’re the ones gaining dead weight.” She puts a cigarette in her mouth and lights it, making a face that clearly says it’s her first time and she’s wondering how on Earth anyone can subject themselves to the vile taste. I watch, sort of dazed. She is acting like a teenager rebelling against her parents. She looks young, but not that young!

“Give me that,” I say, snatching the cigarette from her mouth. “These’ll kill you.” She tries to snatch back the smoke from my hand. “We’re not dead weight. And I’ll happily discuss my thoughts on this merger if you’ll come out of the boat and go to your cabin.”

“Give that back.”

I move my hand farther away and the boat rocks as she leans to grab it. I steady it again with my foot.

“I’m not letting you near my cabin. You’re just trying to get me alone so you can start pawing me again.”

“Jesus!” I wave my arm out gesturing to the expanse around us. “We’re alone out here. Am I pawing you?”

“Give me my damn cigarette!” Huffing, she steps onto the dock and snatches the cigarette from my hand.

Putting the smoke in her mouth, she inhales. Once again I can see she’s never smoked a cigarette in her life. Her eyes water and she swallows a cough. Another puff and she can’t hold back. She starts coughing and gagging.

“Suddenly decide to pick up a bad habit tonight, have you?”

“No, I’ve been smoking for years. I do drugs and sleep around, too.” She sticks her dainty nose in the air and I shake my head.

“Uh huh. You’re a brat. Now go to your cabin before I put you there myself.”

She draws in more smoke and coughs again.

“It’s a god damn merger, that’s all, and for your information, I don’t want it either. You don’t need to make yourself seem less appealing to talk me out of it.”

“I...” Another cough this time more forceful, chokes her. “Yeah, if that’s all it was...” Her words come out strangled. “These are way grosser than I thought,” she adds and I watch as she tosses the cigarette over her shoulder out into the tall grass. My jaw tightens and I leave her to go retrieve it.

“You can’t just throw a lit cigarette into the grass.” I hold it up, pinching the end between my fingers, while I lecture her. “People who don’t respect nature shouldn’t be allowed to enjoy it.”

She rolls her eyes and with lightning speed grabs the cigarette from my hand. She’s about to throw it again. I reach for her but she jumps back. “Don’t touch me!”

I grit my teeth and grind out, “Do it. Throw it again, Akari. See how I touch you then.” I dare her with my eyes, impatience and annoyance growing in me. “You’re clearly acting out like a child and I’m telling you right now, I’m not afraid to treat you like one if you don’t stop.”

“You’re already lecturing me like one,” she says, her mouth quirking into a snotty grin. “So what else can you do?” Her mocking tone tells me she has no idea how serious I am.

“Do you want me to spank your bratty ass, Akari?” I ask, putting my hands on my hips. “Do I need to put you over my knee and teach you to be a good little girl? Because, God dammit, that’s exactly what you need.”

She places the butt on the flat of her hand and positions her finger and thumb ready to launch it. She looks me right in the face and then... flicks. It’s a fuck you if I ever saw one. The butt hits me square in the chest and drops. This time I don’t hesitate. I grab her wrist, yanking her to me.

“Let go, you son-of-a-bitch!” Akari lifts her leg and stomps down hard on my shoe with the heel of her pumps, but she only succeeds in doing what a pellet gun might do to a grizzly. It further antagonizes me. Propping my throbbing foot on a raised post on the dock, I yank her over my thigh. She squeals, teetering over my leg, her limbs flailing for purchase.

“I’ll call the cops,” she shrieks.

“And I’ll tell your father what a little brat you’re being.” It’s a gamble, but having met the man and seen how she behaves around him I think it’s a safe bet, so I start swatting her backside.

When her fists start pummeling my leg, I flip up her dress, continuing to spank her. Smacking her panty-clad bottom seems to make no difference at first. But no matter how hard she struggles and squirms, no matter how loud she swears, I continue, enjoying the satisfying sound of every solid smack.

“Panties are coming down next,” I warn. She freezes then and I take advantage, getting a few really good swats lower on her bottom where the skin peeks from her panties.

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